One of my favorite hiking spots on Norris Lake is turning out to be the Chuck Swan “Lost Creek Cemetery” hike that I’ve talked about before. Over the 4th of July, Jim and I joined Pat and Bill C. on a short kayaking trip to the trail head. We hiked a total of 3 miles in, following the road to the right at each intersection until it followed a deeply wooded ravine with a creek. Not far in, we spotted a painted turtle laying her eggs smack dab in the middle of the dirt road. (Note: I include a photo of a box turtle for comparison. They are not the same.) The road was dry as a bone, but she must have used her urine to make mud so that it would be easier to dig. As a side note, when we returned a few hours later, she was gone and her hole was covered up – barely noticeable.
At the end of our hike that day, before we turned around, Bill spotted a beaver dam where the creek crossed the road. It was beautifully built and was a good 3-4 feet difference in water level. What a sight to behold.
Life is an adventure!
